A Just Harvest Wellness Center is proud to welcome its first event of the fall season: Free Healing Making!
Reserve free tickets here!
Schedule:
12-2pm Alter Making Workshop led by artist, Rio Goodwen Perez
2-4pm Grief Poetry Circle led by therapist, Dorian A. Ortega, LCPC
5-8pm Open Mic led by the community!
Workshop descriptions:
Inspired by the Mexican tradition of nicho-making, this workshop will focus on the construction of an ancestral altar using recycled materials and collage techniques. Using provided materials, participants will make their own small altar. They will have the opportunity to make a piece that is dedicated to their own ancestors, a deceased loved one, a deity, or something/someone of their choosing. These pieces are easily displayed and can be the perfect addition to a sacred or living space. Materials will be provided but participants are encouraged to bring whatever photographs and collage materials they would like to include in their altars.
Artist bio: Rio Goodwin Perez (they/them) is a Puerto Rican interdisciplinary artist raised in Tennessee. Through painting, sculpture, written word, archival exploration, and digital manipulation, Rio’s work creates a magic-filled universe that seeks to cement the ephemerality of queer boricua identity in diaspora. Inspired by their family’s cyclical journey between the island of Puerto Rico and the United States, Rio’s works form maps, worlds, and stories that liberate trans and queer Puerto Ricans.
Poetry circle: Here are instructions for the circle: ALL are welcome and invited to our monthly poetry circle! I am so grateful for your support and hope you all can continue with some exciting new developments! How it goes down (if it's your first time)
+Arrive
+Notebooks and pens provided (feel free to bring your own!)
+Check ins and introductions of the space and the intention of the poetry circle
+We have a monthly prompt word (This month will be 'REMEMBER') +We write for 7 minutes (whatever comes out, comes out either in form of poetry, song, art, story telling, etc.)
+Then we all share and provide feedback and support
+We end with a meditative breathe This is a brave inclusive space that welcomes everyone who is pro justice, pro black and pro LGBTQIA+ Free therapy! Facilitated by licensed therapist: Dori @FLYRadicaltherapy
Therapist bio:
Dorian A. Ortega is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) and founder of F.L.Y. Radical Therapy, LLC. First Love Yourself (F.L.Y.) Radical Therapy is a mental health practice featuring therapeutic approaches centering BIPOC (Biracial, indigenous and people of color) and LGBTQI+ individuals and loving yourself through collective social liberation awareness, healing for yourself, with each other, and helping others to achieve the same. F.L.Y. Radical Therapy is inspired by liberation, womanist and multicultural psychology.
Dorian is also co-founder of Healing Jodonas (Puerto Rican word pronounced ‘hoh-dohn-x’, meaning ‘agitator’) Healing Jodonxs organizes a series of free poetry healing circles and other events that seek to use art as a culturally relevant, accessible, and inclusive tool of expression, education, resistance, and community healing in Humboldt Park.
The practice is at Honeycomb Network, a co-working network space for creatives and at A Just Harvest Wellness Center, an organization working to eradicate hunger in Rogers Park. She is the co-founder of the H.E.A.L. (Honey, Education And Love) Un-academy where youth are paid to participate in a 4-part series of workshops on mental wellness and healing practices.
Dorian is a program curator, workshop facilitator, and has presented for speaking engagements on radical wellness and practice at elementary and high schools, universities and organizations. Part of the dynamic way wellness can be practiced is in exercises. The workshops and presentations usually include education, history, a practice skill, and is meant to be accessible for folks to continue to integrate within their environments.
Dorian is also an advocate for mental health accessibility and social justice. Dorian and the practice are registered with Coffee, Hip-Hop and Mental Health, who run a coffee shop that funds free mental health services for BIPOC.
A Just Harvest
Our Mission
A Just Harvest’s mission is to fight poverty and hunger in the Rogers Park and greater Chicago community by providing nutritious meals daily while cultivating community and economic development and organizing across racial, cultural and socioeconomic lines in order to create a more just society.